Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Levels Of Drinking Water Quality And The Occurrence Of Self-Reported Diarrheal Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study In The Dominican Republic, 2005-2006., Shannon M. Kraft

Public Health Theses

Background: 884 million people do not have access to clean water, which is a potential contributor to diarrhea (JMP, 2010). The purpose of this study was to examine the potential associations between the occurrence of diarrhea and the levels of turbidity, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli (E. coli), in 185 households in Bonao, Dominican Republic in 2005-2006.

Methods: A biweekly water quality dataset and a weekly diarrhea occurrence dataset were merged using three different methods. T-tests and odds ratios were calculated for all three different datasets. Multivariate logistic regression was also conducted.

Results: There were 430 cases …

A Survey Of Water Storage Practices And Beliefs In Households In Bonao, Dominican Republic In 2005, Shelley Holt

Public Health Theses

INTRODUCTION: More than 2.2 million people die each year from diarrheal disease. Most cases of diarrheal disease can be linked with a lack of access to clean water and sanitation. The proper usage of sanitation, hygiene and safe drinking water are all mechanisms by which to prevent or limit fecal contamination, and in turn, reduce the risk of diarrheal disease. As a result, it is imperative to examine and understand risk factors for fecal contamination of drinking water in the home. One way to assess fecal contamination is to use indicator bacteria such as E. coli. These bacteria can be …